Avoid On-the-Job Weight Gain

Australian researchers found that people sitting at their desks more than six hours a day are nearly twice as likely to be overweight than  those who sit for less than 45 minutes a day. Now that you’ve heard the bad news, let’s turn to the good news… 
 

You can love your less-than-active job and be fit. Here’s how:

 

1.     Be sure to eat. It’s easy to slog through a day of meetings, e-mails, and phone calls to discover at 4 p.m. that you haven’t eaten since breakfast. But, your body needs energy to get you through the day. Make it a priority to have a healthy and tasty meal—along with 1-2 healthy snacks.

 

2.     Compensate, compensate. Get physical to compensate for your sedentary workday. Join a gym, take an early morning run, or find time for fitness fun with your family. Buy one or two pieces of home exercise equipment that will allow you to exercise no matter what the weather.
 

3.     Rework your network. Chances are, your friends and co-workers need help with their love handles just as much as you do. So, try some new activities that don’t revolve around food. Organize a bi-weekly volleyball game, walk during lunch, or a quick game of badminton. 
 

4.     Bring your buddies on board. While you’re coaxing co-workers to modify those after-work habits, see if you can’t involve them in a friendly get-fit challenge during work hours. By sharing healthy potluck lunches, exchanging recipes, and providing moral support, you’ll find that getting in shape can be a team-building triumph.
 

5.     Don’t eat due to boredom. Choose snacks that will give you a lift without adding to your waistline. If you know that occasionally you’ll fall—and most of us do—pick out ahead of time the items you can live with so that your dip doesn’t become a dive. Keep water at your desk; it’ll give your hands something to do when you’re stressed and will divert you from eating when you’re not really hungry.
 

6.     Vary your routine. We all have them— those daily social rituals, like heading upstairs to the cafeteria for a mid-morning latte and muffin. You can still have those items…but make it sometimes, not all times. If you want to change your life in big ways, try some small changes, like substituting a yogurt and black coffee with skim milk half the time. You’ll save about 470 calories (660 vs. 160)! (And you’re taking the stairs up to the cafeteria, right?)
 

7.     Lose the technology. Modern advances are great, but do you control them or do they control you? As much as possible, take advantage of opportunities throughout the day to get up and move! Climb the stairs, deliver a memo in person, park at the far end of the parking lot for a brisk walk to your building. You’ll be surprised how quickly minor changes can improve your energy level and help you get fit.
 

8.     Choose wisely. Whether you normally go out for lunch or eat in the cafeteria, try to make your meal choices conscious ones. Learn how to eat out wisely, and remember how much better you feel come mid-afternoon when you eat healthy. If you find that your cafeteria or workplace doesn't offer healthy choices, check with the person who’s in charge of food service—you may be the person who tips the balance to get better options!

But sitting at a desk doesn’t have to mean you’ll be just another statistic! Incorporating these simple strategies into your workday will bring you one step closer to being a healthier, more energetic you.